Fly fishing Spey casting - learn the Single Spey cast
- the single most useful fly cast

Spey casting
 
 
 

Single Spey casting two handed (page 1 of 2)

Spey cast or single spey cast as it sometimes known is for use in an upstream wind or in a downstream wind provided that the downstream wind is not strong enough to make single spey casting dangerous. There are two types of Spey cast, the single for anything other than strong downstream winds and the double for when the single gets too dangerous. Any double handed rod will spey cast but a progressive actioned rod is best. Fly fishing is made possible in many "impossible" places thanks to the Spey casts. For further information about Spey casting contact professional instructor and tutor Alastair (Ally) Gowans. He lives in highland Perthshire, Scotland and is perhaps the UK's best known exponent of Spey casting and salmon fly fishing.

spey casting instruction
The line is fished out and straight

Before starting any cast it is important to ensure that the line is straight or tight to the rod. If you are using a sinking line, sinking tip or a heavy fly it is recommended that you first roll the line onto the surface to ensure that you know that the line will lift cleanly at the first attempt.

the spey cast
The rod is lifted with an in-swing

Once the Spey cast is started it is important not to stop the rod until the forward delivery is made. The rod does however alter speed and make considerable changes of direction during the cast. A slight inswing up to the the 10.30 position and before starting to turn the body, helps to throw the line upstream.

single spey cast
Turning the body

Turning the line around the angler is done by rotating the body, not by throwing your arms about! Start with the feet placed for the direction of the new cast and rotate the body back to address the line. Now when you make the turn the direction change is natural.

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Copyright 2007 Alastair Gowans AAPGAI and FFF Master and THCI, APGAI. All rights reserved.